Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Harris, Underwood, Adams, Black Maternal Health Caucus Unveil Historic Legislative Package to Address America’s Black Maternal Health CrisisLAWT News Service

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Alma Adams (NC-12), and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus on Tuesday introduced a historic legislative package to address the United States’ urgent maternal health crisis. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020 will build on existing maternal health legislation by filling gaps through the nine new bills to comprehensively address every dimension of the Black maternal health crisis. The Black Maternal Health Momnibus makes investments in social determinants of health, community-based organizations, the growth and diversification of the perinatal workforce, improvements in data collection and quality measures, digital tools like telehealth, and innovative payment models. In addition to direct efforts to improve Black maternal health outcomes, the Momnibus focuses on high-risk populations, including women veterans, incarcerated women, and Native Americans.

Harris, Colleagues to Lighthizer: No Trade Negotiations with Brazil Until Bolsonaro Protects the Amazon

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Friday joined Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 8 of their Democratic colleagues in urging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to postpone any trade negotiations with Brazil until President Jair Bolsonaro fully enforces his country’s environmental laws and regulations to protect the Amazon from continued illegal deforestation. In the letter, the senators also called on Lighthizer to swiftly resolve the U.S.-China trade war which has disrupted global trade patterns and driven China to rely increasingly on Brazil for beef and soybeans. As a result, and in contravention of its environmental regulations, Brazil is clearing more of the Amazon for agriculture.

Duckworth, Senate Colleagues Introduce Bill to Help Prevent Police-Involved Deaths & Provide Justice to Families

The bill builds off of legislation introduced last Congress by Duckworth and U.S. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Lacy Clay (D-MO). Assigning cases of police-involved deaths to external and independent prosecutors is a key recommendation of the Taskforce on 21st Century Policing, which President Barack Obama established after events in Ferguson, Missouri, and other communities revealed a severe breakdown in trust between police and the communities they serve.

Harris, Colleagues Introduce Medicare for All

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Wednesday joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and 13 Democratic colleagues to introduce the Medicare for All Act of 2019 to guarantee health care at far lower cost to working families and the nation as a whole.